New Year’s Resolutions

Howdy friends! I wasn’t kidding when I said “be on a lookout for a post this weekend”! I’m so proud of myself – haha.

So I know we’re 13 days into the New Year, but what better time than (n)ever to bring up the ‘ol New Year’s Resolutions. Ya’ know, it’s funny – this year I heard a lot of people saying that they don’t make resolutions because they don’t need to wait until some “special day” to hit the reset button or anything like that. Maybe I’ve heard it before, but this was the first year that it really stood out to me & I heard it from multiple people.

I have to say, I agree with them. If you need or want to make some sort of change, then just do it. Once you do reach your end goal, you’ll be happy that you didn’t wait ’till January 1st to start. Nonetheless, I still do like the idea of using the 1st to start things. None of them are super major or life changing so to speak, but it’s always good to set some goals.

For me, I’m proud to say that I passed my 2012 Resolutions with flying colors!!! I had 3:

Read 12 books in 2012

Take one picture a day & post it on facebook for the entire year (called P365)

NO Fast Food for all of 2012 (I had some exceptions that I set at the beginning of last year for this, too… Drinks were okay; I was allowed to have 2 food items over the year – only from Dunkin Donuts – and they were for “emergency purposes” when I needed food, but didn’t have a lot of time; I was allowed to have McDonald’s breakfast on Black Friday [it’s tradition])

As a whole, I’m really not a big reader. If I read one book a year, that was a lot. But I liked reading. I wanted to read. For Christmas in 2012, Joe bought me a Nook, so reading became super easy. It is way more convenient to browse online at books, read reviews & then download them instantly & have a book to read in just minutes, seconds even. I’m proud to say that I finished the year off with 13 books! And the last book I finished, I finished in like September/October (got a little busy with the holidays!!).

One of the books I read this summer, “White Girl Problems”

I spent a lot of time in my backyard and at camp this summer, relaxing & reading

A picture a day for an entire year was really fun (P365, Project 365). There would be some nights where I’d be like, “oh crap… I didn’t take a picture… cats – come here…”. But overall, I think I did a good job at recapping what I was up to, or fun things that happened to me each day. It’s actually really cool to go through all 366 (leap year!) pictures & actually remember random memories that I probably would have long forgotten if I hadn’t documented it with a picture.

Pippa digging out a ball of yarn from my craft bin one morning in January

Meeting Cassie for the first time at her foster mom’s house & deciding that yes, we wanted to adopt her, in February

Attending a Zumbathon with friends in March

Running out of gas on the highway in April

A bad storm where we lost power for probably around 18 hours & it was super hot outside, and I was almost home & found this – took an extra 55 minutes to get home that night in May

Deciding that after having long hair for 15 or so years, it was time to cut it in June

Getting my fitness on in July

Falling in love with the Battenkill & Washington Co. & enjoying my first summer as a kayaker in August

Running my first 5K with my best friend in September

Spending what started out as a super rainy day with some great friends in a corn maze, followed by dinner in October

Black Friday in November

A fun day out at work in December

And fast food…. So at the end of 2011, I realized I had been eating a lot of fast food. So in an effort to stop, I decided to make it one of my resolutions. It honestly wasn’t that hard at all. Until about December. It was then that I realized that the month of December is what made me eat fast food constantly – because last month, as I was out running around every night after work, doing Holiday shopping, running errands, this, that & the other thing – and not getting home till well past dinner time just about every night, I found myself wanting to hit up the drive thru. I didn’t do it though, and I’m glad! About a week ago though, I did swing by the Taco Bell drive thru to grab a bean burrito – the one thing I missed more than anything! Well… it wasn’t as good as I remembered. And a few days later, I had a craving for a McDonald’s cheeseburger. Same outcome… not as good as I remembered. So, I’ll continue on with 2013 mostly free of fast food, as I never ate it that much anyway, but it will be easier to know that if I absolutely need it, I can have it. And I will know that come December, I should throw some extra snacks in my purse😉

Random note – I also gave up cheese for Lent in 2012. SO.HARD. But I did that, too.🙂

So what’s on the agenda for 2013? I didn’t really put a lot of thought into it until December 31st, and truth be told, there still isn’t a whole heck of a lot of thought into it haha. But here goes:

Yeah – that’s all I got. I decided to do the craft one partially because my craft supplies are out of control! Anyone who is crafty probably knows exactly what I mean. I’ll start projects & never finish them… even worse, I’ll buy supplies & never start them! I figured this would be a good resolution to help me do something I like to do (I really do like being crafty! I just tend to get busy or make excuses!) & to use up some of the materials & de-clutterize my craft area a bit. Plus, I had all these grand plans to craft items as Christmas gifts & come December, well… I’m too busy! So if I can work on them throughout the year, that will help come holiday gift giving time.

I’m proud to say that I have already finished one project – a Minnie Mouse hat that I started last winter. I made the hat & 1 ear last winter & never finished it. So this year, I just had to make the 2nd ear, the bow, attach them & create the braids. Happy to say I did it & sent it off to my niece in South Carolina!

Finished hat

I found a couple different patterns for other things & combined them to come up with this. The hat portion is supposed to be for a toddler, but it came out a little big. I guess that just means that she has room to grow into it & will have it for a few years🙂

My niece Hayleigh with her new hat on

I’m now working on my second crocheting project, a baby blanket for a good friend who is expecting her first baby! I know several people who are expecting this year, so this kind of helps me with my goal – haha! So far, I’m about 30% done or so. I didn’t get to work on it at all this week, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to a little this week. I’d like to get it done in about a month.

Blue, white & a varigated blue/green/white crocheted baby blanket

Follow me on Instagram to keep up with how I’m doing! @jmshuhart & #13craftsin2013

And in regards to putting P365 into an album. My original goal was to put the photos into a Photo Book. After pricing them out, I don’t know if I’ll be able to afford it, even with a coupon code. But I’d like to at least print all of the photos out & put them into some sort of album. While looking at pictures on facebook is fun, there really is nothing like having an actual picture to hold in your hands.

And that’s that! So please tell me…. what sort of goals or resolutions do you have for 2013? They don’t have to be so serious, like losing weight, quitting smoking or getting rid of your debt (though those are all GREAT things to do!). Whatever you decided (or didn’t decide), I hope you’re successful in 2013!